Surgery coming soon!

[dancingdebora]

Hi, I am waiting for my surgery Jan 3 - so hard doing the pre-op diet over the holidays. Only OptiFast for three weeks and NOTHING else!

My question is will I be able to eat "real" food once I am healed? I love big kale salads with nuts and seeds and lots of veggies. How long before I will e able to get back to eating this?

[Tamera2]

Depends on your surgeon but you will be able to have small amounts of veggies week 4 but purée or soft at first. than by week 6 you can have normal salad but you will forcus first on protein. You will never be able to consume anything big ever again. lol. Best of luck

[Luv49ers19]

Always always always protien first! I'm 7 month out today and I really don't have room for veggies just yet but that is just me being a stickler on the rules I was given. I do know those big salads are a thing of the past for you. Small ones yes but months down the road. I know my doc said to wait for the more fibrous veggies because it is harder on the tummy.

[Stacey03]

Kale is life. I get you! I'm 6 weeks out and have had the tiniest cos lettuce portion, I totes added anchovies, and I did eat my salmon first. Oh for the joy for when we can eat kale salad again. Yup, I'm with you on this :-)

[dancingdebora]

Thank you everyone for your responses! The thing that makes me a little nervous about all this is that while I am overweight, I eat so healthily and I do not want to change this. I eat lots of protein, and masses of veggies and very low carbs, and I feel good! But even this way of eating has never brought the weight down for me, thus the surgery. I just hope that I will be able to maintain my healthy eating habits post surgery, even if it takes many months to get there. Anyway, here's to OptiFast around the tree, and happy holidays to all!

[dancingdebora]

So I am not crazy!? THanks for this!

[Stacey03]

Thank you everyone for your responses! The thing that makes me a little nervous about all this is that while I am overweight, I eat so healthily and I do not want to change this. I eat lots of protein, and masses of veggies and very low carbs, and I feel good! But even this way of eating has never brought the weight down for me, thus the surgery. I just hope that I will be able to maintain my healthy eating habits post surgery, even if it takes many months to get there. Anyway, here's to OptiFast around the tree, and happy holidays to all!

AHA... you sound a little bit like me. I have eaten very healthily for the last 4 years, I lost 40kg with healthy eating and exercise. i run half marathons and do crossfit 3 times a week and was still overweight!!! So in the end I decided on the sleeve to reduce my health risks like high cholesterol and possible diabetes.Within 5 weeks of surgery my cholesterol went from 8.2 to 5.2 and now i just want to get it under 4. The sleeve is the thing that will finish this journey for me so i totally understand. in terms of eating things do change a bit for a while and that's a trade off. You will find it hard to fit veg in for a while as your priority will be protein and you will be full so quickly. So the kale salads etc are just time and I think that trade off suits me. I have struggled with the concept of protein shakes as they seem like a processed food to me and I don't generally eat anything with a barcode but realistically it is very hard at the beginning stages to get an adequate amount of protein without them so i have accepted that. in saying that i was sos focussed on finding a protein shake that didnt make me gag i have been drinking one that is loaded with carbs and sugar!!!! Check your labels!!! I'm such a numpty!!
So yes it will be different for your diet but it is not forever. The health benefits are worth it for me. Also the helpful thing is that you won't actually be able to fit it in and will be full so it's not like a missing out feeling. Use your nicest tiny plates ;-)
Good luck to you :-)

[Christie13]

Yes you will be able to eat salads again. Just not huge ones and it may be a few months. Once I was cleared for foods I was able to start on some veggies but in the beginning you can't eat much so really you eat predominately protein. Your focus is protein first and then veggies. I never had any issues with salad or any other veggies but some people do in the beginning. But you will be able to eat salads again. I am over a year and I can eat anything I want with no issues. I do still have to be careful to not eat too fast or too much but I know my limits so I rarely do that.

[Riz_1]

Hi Debra,

welcome and good luck with your surgery.. mine will also be scheduled for sometime in late Jan.

So I will be following in your steps !

[dancingdebora]

Hi Riz,

I will update you as to how it goes! Good luck with your!

Debora

[dancingdebora]

Thanks so much everyone for the thoughts, encouragement, truths and laughs (nicest small plates!). This site is amazing!!

I won't say more now because it's a busy time around here, but Happy Holidays to all!

Debora